


Gathering Up The Pieces

by Dylangasmsforusall (En_Kelleher)



Category: Leverage
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Kinda, M/M, Multi, The ot3 expressing their feelings to each other, trauma aftermath
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:15:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24949048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/En_Kelleher/pseuds/Dylangasmsforusall
Summary: the OT3 take comfort from each other in the aftermath of the Grave Danger Job.
Relationships: Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer
Comments: 22
Kudos: 143





	Gathering Up The Pieces

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing for the OT3, for my lovely friend Sarah ([eliotspencerr](http://eliotspencerr.tumblr.com) ) , who prompted with Angst/Hurt/Comfort.  
> "if you don't hug me right now, I think I'm going to fall apart." "Sleep over, please," And Top of the Head Kisses.
> 
> I hope this isn't too terrible, I am incredibly rusty when it comes to writing, and I've never written these characters before. Please be kind and leave some love!
> 
> You can find me on tumblr at [Dylangasmsforusall](Http://Dylangasmsforusall.tumblr.com)

The team had taken down the Wickett family, and got to go home; Hardison had been shaky and quiet on the way. Eliot wasn’t sure, exactly, how to help him. They’d all seen and been in some dangerous situations, and Eliot could handle himself, compartmentalize enough to make sure everyone made it out alive. This time, making it out alive was not the same as making it out okay.

All of them were on edge after this one. Almost losing Hardison- Well, Eliot’s job was to keep everyone safe, and he’d failed in that for most of the job. Parker was quiet and introspective, seemingly fighting off tears even after the fact. Sophie and Nate were also visibly affected by Hardison being buried alive. 

They’d almost lost him. 

Eliot had almost lost him.

++++

The spark of fear that had shattered through Hardison upon waking up inside of a coffin had been completely world altering. He wasn’t sure how his heart hadn’t tripped right out of his chest at that moment. He could barely concentrate enough to hear the stipulations from Javier when he made his demands; all he could think of was that he was going to die. The walls were closing in, so to speak, and he was going to die. He wouldn’t have gotten the chance to tell the others how he felt.

God, how he felt. 

He’d felt all the things all at once. His fear, the claustrophobia, the imminent death of oxygen running out while his friends worked to find him. The absolute fear of Nate putting him on mute while he was panicking in the coffin after calling them. The unspoken love that he felt.

For Parker.

For Eliot.

For Sophie and Nate,too.

Trying to speak through the panic in order to help them find him? God, Hardison wasn’t sure how he’d managed to get the words out at all. The absolute panic that made him try and claw his way out of the coffin with the swiss army knife’s file---

Fuck.

+++

Parker watched as the team trudged into their base of operations. There were cots in the space Eliot had created for when Parker, Hardison and Eliot were in need of some rest on a job, and Parker was positive that they wouldn’t be separating for their own living spaces tonight. She was definitely not taking her eyes off of Hardison tonight, even if she had to hover in the corner just to keep watch.

From the beginning of this job, she’d been all sorts of messed up, inside her own head about faith, and caring, and the mortality that came with humans. The idea that the ones she loved would die and leave her alone. She almost wanted to run; just shut down, shut everyone out, and go back to being on her own, with no one breaking down her barricades and making her care.

But then there was Hardison, alone and buried and panicking; and she’d had to force herself to be there for him, to calm him with steadying breaths and calming words. She’d expressed how much she needed him; needed him to make it through this, to continue being her friend.

But honestly, it was more than that. She needed him on more than a friendly level. She loved him. She loved them all, really, but she loved Hardison. And she loved Eliot.

The relief that she’d felt when Eliot had come sliding into the grave and opened the coffin, engulfing Hardison so fully and strongly. She just had to walk away. A part of her was a little upset at herself that she hadn’t wrapped Hardison up in her own arms at that moment, but Eliot’s were there, piecing Hardison back together as he let out his own relief in shaking breaths. The other part had to walk away- she had to control herself, let herself get a grip on the reality that Hardison was okay, that they were all okay, and they would all be going home.

Parker was drawn from her thoughts once they reached Nate’s apartment above the bar, all slow movements, and visible exhaustion.

“I’ll make some tea,” Sophie said quietly, moving into the kitchen to start the kettle.

Parker watched silently as Eliot placed a hand between Hardison’s shoulder blades and guided him to the staircase leading to Nate’s room. She barely heard his voice mumbling softly about Hardison taking a shower to wash away what she could only imagine was fear sweat and grave dirt.

She stood rooted in the spot she’d stopped, watching everyone disperse throughout the apartment, unsure of what to do with herself. She took a deep breath to ground herself, getting lost in her own thoughts again as her eyes trailed up the stairs after Eliot and Hardison.

“Parker,” a soft voice echoed in her ears, a hand on her arm. A warm mug of tea was placed into her hand. “Take this to him, be there.”

Parker turned her gaze to Sophie, who just nodded and nudged her towards the stairs as well.

+++

Hardison moved on a sluggish autopilot as he was guided to the bathroom adjoined to Nate’s bedroom. He felt the warm presence of Eliot’s hand between his shoulder blades; trusted those hands enough to let himself be moved this way and that until they’d moved into Nate’s bathroom. He stood still, staring idly at the closed shower curtain. 

He’d barely just gotten his breath under control. He’d thought- Fuck, he’d thought he was going to die, had felt the air running out as Parker told him to take a large breath and hold it. He’d seen the darkness closing in around the edge of his vision, only lit by the phone on his chest.

“Hey,” Eliot’s voice was as soft as Hardison had ever heard it- a strict contrast to the edge it had taken when he’d said not to ever do that again as he gripped him tightly earlier outside the grave.

Hardison must have made a small noise because Eliot’s hand moved from between his shoulder blades, to his left shoulder, turning his body towards him. 

“Hey, let’s get you into that shower, okay? It’ll help.” 

+++

Eliot watched as Hardison stood staring at the shower. He closed his eyes briefly, compartmentalizing his own rushing thoughts so that he could help Hardison through this. He’d deal with his own shit later, in the quiet, when he had a chance and his people were safe.

“Hey, let’s get you into that shower, okay? It’ll help,” He softened his tone, let the lilt fall into his words to ease some calm into Hardison’s tense and trembling shoulders.

Eliot let his fingers gently trail down Hardison’s arm when it was clear that Hardison wasn’t going to move on his own. He needed to get out of the suit he was wearing. Eliot could clearly smell the anxiety and fear that had encompassed Hardison while he’d been buried; needed to get that smell off of him as soon as possible. If that meant undressing his- his- Hardison, then so be in. He’d do whatever it took to help him. To his dying breath.

He kept his eyes on Hardison’s face as he slid the suit jacket from his shoulders and let it fall to the floor, moving on to the buttons of his shirt. Quick, and perfunctory, Eliot removed the clothes from Hardison’s body and gently guided him into the shower. 

Eliot turned the water on, flipping the switch on the faucet quickly so that the sudden cold spray of water would at least make Hardison voice _something_ instead of the weird soft noises he’d use in answer to anything on the way home. He wasn’t disappointed as the water sprayed onto Hardison and he let out a sudden affronted noise.

Good. This was a good step in the right direction.

+++

Once he’d been shocked into the shower, Hardison hastily scrubbed his skin with Nate’s body wash and the apple shampoo until his skin kind of hurt a little bit. 

He hadn’t been sure what was going on outside the shower until he’d turned the water off and a hand had pushed a towel into the shower through the curtain- Eliot. Eliot had stayed in the bathroom with him while he’d showered.

Hardison felt a wave of affection roll through him as he took the towel and mumbled out a thanks.

“I put some clothes on the counter,” Eliot told him through the curtain as Hardison quickly dried off. “I’ll leave you to it, but I’ll be right outside.”

Hardison didn’t know how Eliot was sure he actually needed that, but he was grateful that he’d be outside the door. When he heard the click of the door, Hardison exited the shower and finished drying off before picking up the clothes. 

All at once he realized that the clothes were Eliot’s. Another bit of warmth ran through him as he pulled the clothes on and opened the bathroom door. 

+++

Parker had brought the mug of tea upstairs to see Eliot leaning against the bathroom sink as Hardison showered. Eliot was staring at his own feet, arms crossed and biceps bulged with how hard he was clenching his fists. His jaw worked quickly, and Parker was actually able to sneak up on him.

“Tea.” She said softly, handing the mug to him and forcing him to unfold his arms or drop the mug on the floor. “I’m going to go get two more.” She told him, brushing her fingers along the back of his hand lightly before leaving down the spiral stairs again.

They all needed the soft comfort of the chamomile that Sophie had made.

+++

“Parker brought you some tea,” Eliot said as he exited the bathroom, holding out the mug, cooled enough now that Hardison could just lift the mug to his lips and drink.

He’d finished the whole cup before he even breathed again, not realizing how thirsty he had been. The look on Eliot’s face would have made him laugh if it didn’t make him sad. Eliot looked like he wanted to throw himself down the stairs for not realizing that Hardison needed fluids.

“Where is she?”

“She’ll be back, she went to get two more mugs.” Eliot told him, voice slipping into a little bit more of a gruff tone. “I’ll get you some water, just.. Have a seat.” He took the mug from Hardison and guided him to Nate’s bed. “He wont mind.”

The way he said that made Hardison think that Eliot would make sure that Nate didn’t mind him taking his bed for the night- which… He could probably do, yeah.

He sat on the edge of the bed, running his fingertips over the soft fabric of Eliot’s loaned pajama pants and let out a slow breath.

+++

The next thing that Hardison knew, a glass of water was being pressed into his hand. He looked up to see Eliot and Parker had both returned to Nate’s bedroom, were both looking at him with concerned blue eyes.

He managed a tiny quirk of his lips, squeezing the glass as he raised it to his lips and downed half of it before setting it down on the bedside table next to him. He looked over to see Eliot had been handed a cup of tea as well; watched as he and Parker both drank from the mugs at the same time as if they needed something to do with their hands.

His heart swelled a little bit. These two- these two beautifully complicated creatures were staring at him with identical looks of concern, and all Hardison could think of was how much he needed them.

He needed them, and he needed them to lose that concerned look and start acting as themselves again.

Normal. He needed something normal.

+++

Eliot drank his tea, finished it more for something to do than actually wanting the tea that had been pressed into his hand. He wanted so much to erase the haunted look in Hardison’s eyes, the fear that was still creeping into Parker’s. He didn’t know how to fix this, he didn’t-

He set his mug down on the dresser and released a breath, looking between Hardison and Parker. Maybe…

The two of them had been close; she’d stayed on the phone with him the entire time, because he’d asked. He needed Parker- He just needed Parker and Eliot would let him have it. He swallowed down his own need to keep a watchful eye, to be close, to keep them safe, and then said, “You should try and rest,” as softly as he could before he picked up the mug and turned towards the spiral staircase to leave them to it.

Eliot wasn’t soft. He wasn’t the comforting type, not really. He was the muscle, the hitter, the one who could kill a man as quick as a bullet if he had to. The one who took the beatings and bruises and pain so that the others didn’t have to. So that they were safe. And they were safe right now. They needed each other, and it was plain as day that for them to have that comfort that Eliot needed to leave, and let them be together, whether he had a need to stay or not. So he’d leave.

+++

Parker knew as soon as Eliot picked the mug back up that he was going to leave the bedroom and return to the downstairs couch for the night, and she wasn’t sure that she could deal with any of this on her own. She wasn’t equipped to help Hardison- She’d tried. She’d tried to help him breathe through being encased in a coffin underground, and she felt like she’d monumentally failed- Hardison was alive, sure, but he was clearly _not okay_ and she wasn’t sure how to deal with any of this.

But Eliot? Eliot had been in wars, and fights, and dealt with some seriously crazy shit, and Parker was positive that the one who could help Hardison through this was currently trying to leave the room, and she felt panic rising through her again. She needed Eliot to stay, she needed him to be there and be with them. 

If she wasn’t going to leave Hardison’s side, then neither was Elliot.

“Where are you going?” She asked, finally speaking. She had to clear her throat a little of the rasp.

“I was--”

“Stay.” Hardison said, looking between the two of them. He clearly meant both of them. “Sleep here. I mean…. Taking over Nate’s room has to be a joint effort.”

Parker could tell that Hardison was trying to act as he usually did, wholly unaffected, but she knew.

She looked back over at him, a small frown tugging at her lips. He looked smaller than he usually did- like he was drawing in on himself, trying to take up less space and protect himself. She wanted to protect him so badly.

She glanced at Eliot, seeing him pause in his attempt to leave the room. He looked at her, made direct eye contact as if asking if that was okay. She nodded minutely and returned her eyes back to Hardison. 

He was already looking at her and Parker felt her chest tighten, the back of her eyes sting as he said, “if you don’t hug me right now, I think I’m going to fall apart.”

The way he’d tried to make his tone as sarcastic as he usually did fell flat, and Parker felt her eyes well with tears instantly. Before she could even move, the mug of tea in her hands was removed, and a warm palm was ushering her towards Hardison. She glanced back at Eliot as he set her mug down next to his own, and she returned her gaze to Hardison, who immediately pulled her into his arms.

She’d stepped between the v of his legs as he pulled her in, her hands hesitantly moving to the back of his neck as he pressed his face into her stomach and wrapped his arms around her hips tightly. She sucked in a sharp breath at the contact, squeezing the back of Hardison’s neck lightly and hugging his head to her stomach.

+++

Eliot watched as Hardison pulled Parker to him, made eye contact as she looked over at him. He was momentarily stricken by the picture of them. Hardison had asked him to stay, but Eliot wasn’t sure that he should stay. Not until Parker, continuing to look at him slightly panicky, and also reached out for him.

There’s no way that he would leave them. He’d never leave them.

He stepped over to the bed slowly, uncertain in his movements, and gently pried Hardison’s arms from around Parker’s hips. He carefully moved Hardison into the middle of the bed, tucking him under the blankets before looking at Parker expectantly.

“Rest.” He said softly, moving a hand and gently guiding her onto the remaining space where she was standing. “C’mon.”

Parker looked uncertain for a moment before his hand made contact and she followed the guidance onto the bed. He reached down once she was on the bed and gently removed her shoes, setting them by the end of the bed before pulling the blankets over her as well. 

Eliot watched as the two settled, Hardison turning into Parker and wrapping his arms around her middle, pressing his face against her neck. He couldn’t stop the little blip inside his chest at the sight. These two were so entwined, caring so much for each other that Eliot wasn’t sure where he fit into this.

But Hardison had asked him to stay, so he sat on the end of the bed for a moment, narrowly avoiding Hardison’s feet, and untied his boot laces. He removed his boots and set them uniformly next to his feet before he stood up and carefully moved to the empty space at Hardison’s back. He slid underneath the blankets and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling as he heard the slight hiccuped breaths coming from the man next to him.

Part of him ached; with the need to envelop the two most important people in his world, the two lying next to him entwined, in his arms and keeping them safe for eternity. The other part of him, the part that just wanted them happy, would keep his distance so that they could be together no matter how he felt.

Eliot wasn’t much on showing his feelings, but these two people lying next to him- He’d give them the entire world, his everything as long as they were happy.

He was startled from his thoughts a little at the feeling of a warm hand around his wrist, tugging it towards the two of them. He turned his head to look over at Parker and Hardison, saw Parker looking at him over Hardison’s huddled body, saw Hardison’s arm bent back to wrap his fingers around Eliot’s wrist. He swallowed loudly before giving in to the tug. He rolled onto his side and moved up against Hardison’s back.

Hardison relaxed minutely at the contact, letting out a breath against Parker’s neck as he moved from one wrist to the other, pulling Eliot’s arm around himself and further to encompass Parker as well. Eliot got the hint, moving on his own and pressing tighter to Hardison’s back as he gripped his fingers into the shirt at Parker’s back, pulling them all closer together.

“Okay,” Eliot whispered against the back of Hardison’s neck. “Okay,” He nodded a little, which brushed his nose to the skin of Hardison’s nape, squeezing all of them a bit and giving in to that urge to envelop them in his arms. 

He could keep them safe here. He could keep them held together like this.

+++

Parker smiled softly to herself as she watched Eliot give in and wrap them all up together. A part of her clicked into place, like all of them were meant to be like this. Her two boys and herself all pressed together and holding each other as tight as they could, piecing Hardison back together after such a traumatic experience. She couldn’t help the elation that rose as Eliot looked into her eyes over Hardison and nodded.

She nodded in return, and then let out a small little whispered laugh when Eliot lifted his head and leaned just so to press his lips to her forehead lightly.

“We’re okay,” Eliot kept his voice soft, lips brushing her forehead as he spoke. 

“We’re okay,” he repeated, dropping his head to kiss just behind Hardison’s ear as well.

Yeah, they would all be okay. Together.


End file.
